29 July 2017

Waiting for Israel’s next northern storm
IN 2012, a bus used by the Syrian rebels was driving close to the Israeli border on the Golan. As Golan resident Thierry Laskart watched, artillery shells began to fall. First on one side, then the other. Then the Syrian regime gunner found his mark. It is one of many memories Laskart has over the years of watching the Syrian war unfold on his doorstep.

Tensions still high between Israel and Jordan
Friday, 56 members of the Jordanian parliament signed a petition calling to expel Israeli ambassador Einat Schlein and to bring back Jordanian ambassador to Israel Walid Obeidat. The topic is meant to be discussed in parliament on Sunday. With 195 seats in the Jordanian parliament the number of signatures mean that roughly a quarter of parliament supports halting normal diplomatic relations with Israel.

Netanyahu’s Likud party accuses Naftali Bennett of endangering Israel
The Likud struck back on Friday at Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett for criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for relinquishing Arab areas of pre-1967 Israel in return for annexing settlement blocs. Bayit Yehudi released a statement late Thursday saying that the plan would cause grave harm to Israeli security. The party said in the statement that Netanyahu should stop surrendering and giving prizes to terror.

North Korean ICBM test provokes strong reactions from US and neighbors
On late Friday night, North Korea fired an ICBM from the northern Jangang province which flew for 45 minutes and subsequently landed in the waters of Japan’s exclusive economic zone. US President Donald Trump said that the US will “take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the American homeland.” US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said…that China and Russia “bear unique responsibility” for the growing threat posed by North Korea.

Sri Lanka signs deal on Hambantota port with China
Sri Lanka has signed a $1.1bn (£837m) deal with China for the control and development of the southern deep-sea port of Hambantota. The deal had been delayed by several months over concerns that the port could be used by the Chinese military. The government has given assurances that China will run only commercial operations from the port, on the main shipping route between Asia and Europe.

Rio de Janeiro begins deploying 10,000 troops to fight crime surge
The Brazilian armed forces have begun deploying 10,000 troops in the state of Rio de Janeiro to help the fight against organised crime. On Friday trucks rolled through Rio as 8,500 soldiers were mobilised. They will be joined by police and highway patrol officers. Violence has been on the rise in Rio since the end of the Olympics nearly a year ago.

Jerusalem holy site measures fail to halt clashes
Israeli forces and Palestinians have clashed in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza after weeks of friction over a Jerusalem holy site. Violence erupted on the outskirts of Jerusalem’s Old City and across the occupied West Bank after the end of Muslim Friday prayers. Two Palestinians were reported killed by troops – one an alleged assailant in the West Bank, the other in Gaza.

Trump Ousts Chief of Staff Priebus, Installs Ret. Gen. Kelly
President Donald Trump on Friday removed his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and tapped Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly for the job…White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci attacked Priebus in profane terms in an interview on Thursday, predicted he would soon be out of a job, and pledged to crack down on leaks that Scaramucci suspected had come from Priebus.

US, South Korea Fire Missiles in Response to North Korea Ballistic Missile Launch
U.S. and Republic of Korea militaries fired missiles into South Korean territorial waters in direct response to North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch Friday. A statement from Eighth United States Army said the joint, live-fire exercise utilized the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the Republic of Korea Hyunmoo Missile II.

Anti-Israel protest breaks out in Jordan
Not far from the Israeli embassy in Amman on Friday, a demonstration against Israel took place…The demonstration came from the Al-Kalawati Mosque, adjacent to the Israeli embassy in the Al-Rabiya area. The demonstrators shouted slogans against Israel and the peace treaty: “There is no embassy to the (Zionist) entity on your land, Amman, death to Israel and may Israel fall.”

Confirmed: NFL Fans Tuned Out Last Year Because Players Protested The National Anthem
At the time, NFL officials claimed they didn’t exactly know why ratings were down and even used the 2016 presidential election as an excuse for why more people weren’t watching. But according to a new survey from J.D. Power, NFL fans did in fact tune out in droves because of the disrespect and protest of the National Anthem before games.

Ex-CIA director John Brennan proves once again he’s a traitor
Being a traitor is nothing new for Brennan. One could say he’s made a career out of treasonable behavior. There is now evidence that Brennan and others in the Obama administration used America’s taxpayer-funded national security apparatus to engage in espionage against an opposition party’s presidential campaign, an incoming administration, and that administration’s transition team. The whole campaign aimed at convincing Americans that President Trump was a tool of Russia was created by Democrats for their illicit purposes